Specialty hat

ABSTRACT

A specialty hat is constructed with a crown having one or more holes through an upper portion of the crown, where the holes are dimensioned to receive a portion of the hat wearer&#39;s hair that is positioned through the hole. Pluralities of decorations are interchangeably and selectively removably attached to the crown adjacent the holes where the decorations appear to be attached to the hair positioned through the holes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to a specialty hat that is constructed with one or more holes through the hat, and decorations that are positioned adjacent the holes. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a hat having a crown with one or more holes through an upper portion of the crown, where the holes are dimensioned to receive a portion of the hat wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole. In addition, decorations are interchangeably and selectively removably attached to the crown adjacent the holes where the decorations appear to be attached to the hair positioned through the holes.

(2) Description of the Related Art

Casual hats such as baseball-type caps and golf visors are often worn by individuals when participating in or observing sporting events, or as part of their casual attire. Wearers of such caps and visors that have longer hair often bundle their hair up beneath the crown of the cap, or wear their hair in a ponytail. Hat wearers having ponytails often wear their hat with the hat band extending over the ponytail. However, this can detract from the usual comfortable feeling of the hat on the wearer's head. In addition, the hat band engaging around the ponytail often detracts from the secure fit of the hat on the wearer's head. This can result in the hat being easily blown from the wearer's head by a sudden gust of wind.

As a result of the uncomfortable feeling of a hat band engaging around a wearer's ponytail, and the insecurity of the hat being easily blown from the wearer's head, hat wearers that keep their hair in a ponytail often resort to the baseball-type cap that has an opening in the hat band at the rear of the cap, and adjustable straps that extend across the opening. This type of cap is worn on the wearer's head with the ponytail extending through the back opening and over the adjustable straps. However, this type of cap is considered by many to be less attractive in appearance than the conventional, fitted-type baseball cap that does not have the back opening.

What is needed to overcome the above-described disadvantages of casual hats for hat wearers having longer hair is a hat designed to easily accommodate the wearer's hair kept in a ponytail or pigtails, where the hat also has a more decorative or appealing appearance than the conventional baseball-type hat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a casual hat, for example a baseball-type cap or a bucket hat, that is specifically designed to be comfortably worn by a wearer having longer hair that desires to wear their hair in a ponytail or pigtails. In addition, the hat is provided with a variety of different types of decorations that are removably attachable to the hat where the decorations appear to be attached to the hair of the hat wearer.

In the various configurations of the hat, for example a baseball-type cap configuration or a bucket hat configuration, the hat is basically comprised of a crown constructed of flexible material. A hat band surrounds an opening of the crown that is dimensioned to receive a portion of the hat wearer's head. The crown has an interior surface surrounding an interior volume of the hat, and an opposite exterior surface.

In a baseball-type cap configuration, a bill projects from the hat band. In a bucket hat configuration, a brim extends around the hat band.

One or more holes are provided through the hat crown. In the preferred embodiment, each hole is spaced from the crown peripheral edge and is positioned more toward a central portion of the crown than the crown peripheral edge. Each hole is dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's hair positioned through the hole, enabling the wearer to pass a ponytail through the hole of a hat having only one hole, or pass pigtails through the holes of a hat having a pair of holes.

A plurality of various different types of decorations are provided that are removably attachable to the hat crown. Two-part fasteners, for example snap fasteners or hook and loop type fasteners removably attach the decorations to the hat crown. A first part of the fastener is attached to the crown exterior surface adjacent the hole in the crown. The second part of the fastener is attached to the decoration. Connecting the first and second parts of the fastener removably attaches the decoration to the crown in a position adjacent the crown hole where the decoration appears to be attached to the portion of the wearer's hair passed through the crown hole.

In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of decorations are formed as bows of ribbon or other similar material. The bows are removably attached to the crown exterior surface at a position adjacent the crown hole where the bows appear to be attached to the portion of the hat wearer's hair positioned through the crown hole. By providing the decorations as a plurality of ribbons or other similar types of decorations, the decorations can be removably and interchangeably attached to the hat as desired by the hat wearer to give the hat a plurality of different appearances.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the decoration is provided as a decorative cord having an elastic length between opposite first and second ends of the cord. Each of the first and second ends of the cord is removably attachable to a post positioned on a central portion of the hat crown. The length of the cord can be extended around the crown hole, with the cord opposite ends being removably attached to the post. This gives the appearance of the cord extending around the portion of the hat wearer's hair positioned through the crown hole. In addition to the cord decorating the portion of the hat wearer's hair, the cord also functions to support the portion of the wearer's hair so that the portion of the hair extends outwardly from the crown hole.

The specialty hat of the invention has a simplified construction that enables manufacturing the hat in a minimum number of manufacturing steps. Basically, the hat is formed from a piece of flexible material positioned on a hat block to form the material into the crown of the hat. The material is held in the crown configuration by a band positioned around the hat block, as is conventional.

These steps are performed by an embroidery machine that has been modified with a surging apparatus used to cut the hole or holes through the hat crown. A novel feature of the specialty hat's simplified method of construction involves performing both a cutting operation forming the hole through the hat crown, and a stitching operation embroidering the edge of the crown hole on the same manufacturing apparatus. In prior art hat constructions having holes such as vent holes, the surging and boring, or cutting and stitching steps were performed in two separate steps on the crown material as it lay flat. The material was then subsequently formed into the crown. The method of the invention enables these two steps in the hat's manufacturing to be performed at the same manufacturing site, thereby simplifying the manufacturing method.

Once the crown hole or holes have been manufactured, the removable decorations are then added to the crown exterior, completing the manufacturing of the hat of the invention. One or more different types of decorations can be provided with each hat as a kit, thereby adapting the hat for having many different appearances depending on which decorations are selectively, removably attached to the hat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, and in the following drawing figures wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the specialty hat of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the hat of FIG. 1, with the removable decoration removed;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the hat similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the removable decoration attached;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of the specialty hat with a removable decoration attached; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the hat of FIG. 4 showing a pair of removable decorations attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show a first embodiment of the special hat 10 of the present invention. The hat 10 is a casual hat or a baseball-type cap that incorporates the novel features of the invention. It should be understood that the baseball-type cap shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 is illustrative only of one type of hat with which the novel features of the invention may be employed. The baseball-type cap shown in the drawing figures should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

Many of the structural features of the hat 10 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are typical in the conventional construction of baseball-type caps, and therefore will not be described in detail. The hat 10 is basically comprised of a crown 12, a hat band 14, and a bill 16.

The crown 12 is constructed of a plurality of panels 18 of a flexible material typically employed in constructing hats. The panels 18 are secured together by stitching 20 to form the crown 12. The crown is formed with a generally convex exterior surface 22, and an opposite, generally concave interior surface 24. The interior surface 24 surrounds an interior volume of the hat 10 that is dimensioned to receive a portion of the head of a wearer of the hat.

The hat band 14 extends around the periphery of the crown 12. The hat band 14 is secured to the crown 12 by stitching or other conventional means. A bottom edge 26 of the hat band 14 surrounds the opening to the interior volume of the hat. The band bottom edge 26 also defines the peripheral edge of the crown 12, and separates the crown interior surface 24 from the crown exterior surface 22.

The bill 16 is secured to the hat band 14 and projects in a forward direction from the hat band. The bill 16 is secured to the hat band 14 by stitching or other conventional means.

The construction of the specialty hat 10 described to this point is conventional. The construction of the hat 10 differs from that of prior art hats in that a hole 30 is provided through an upper portion of the crown 12. As seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the hole 30 is spaced upwardly from the crown peripheral edge 26, and is positioned closer to a center point 32 of the crown than the crown peripheral edge 26. In the embodiment of the hat 10 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the hole 30 is positioned at a rearward portion of the hat crown 12 on an opposite side of the hat center point 32 from the hat bill 16. In the preferred embodiment, the hole 30 is dimensioned sufficiently large to enable a wearer of the hat to pass a portion of their hair, for example a ponytail, through the hole 30. Thus, the hole 30 has a significantly larger diameter dimension than would a typical venting hole in a baseball-type cap. As only an example, the hole 30 could have a diameter dimension of one or two inches. This would provide sufficient area in the hole 30 for the hat wearer to reach through the hole from the exterior of the crown 12, grasp a portion of the wearer's hair, and pull a portion of the hair through the hole 30 positioning the hair, for example kept in a ponytail, in the crown hole 30.

The peripheral edge 34 of the hole 30 is defined by embroidered stitching of the crown material surrounding the hole 30. The stitching of the peripheral edge 34 enhances the aesthetic appearance of the hat and strengthens the material of the crown 12 surrounding the hole 30.

A post 38 is secured to the hat crown 12 at the crown center point 32. The post is positioned on an opposite side of the hole 30 from the crown peripheral edge 26. The post 38 has a necked down shank 40 that projects upwardly from the crown 12 to an enlarged head 42 of the post. The post 38 functions as a first fastener part of a two-part fastener that is employed to removably attach a decoration to the hat 10, as will be explained. Other types of equivalent fasteners, for example snap fasteners or hook and loop fasteners could also be employed to removably attach the decoration to the hat.

A decorative cord 46 is employed as one type of decoration that may be removably attached to the hat 10. The cord 46 has a length with opposite to first 48 and second 50 ends. The length of the cord 46 is dimensioned to extend the cord around the crown hole 30 and around a portion of the hat wearer's hair pulled through the crown hole. The decorative cord 46 is constructed of a flexible material and in the preferred embodiment is elastic. A variety of different types of materials may be employed in constructing the cord 46 to enhance the decorative appearance of the hat 10. The cord 46 has a first loop 52 provided at the first end 48 of the cord length, and a second loop 54 provided at the second end 50 of the cord. Both the first and second loops 52, 54 are dimensioned to be removably attached to the post 38 by stretching the loops over the enlarged head 42 of the post and positioning the loops on the post shank 40.

In use of the embodiment of the hat 10 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the hat wearer first positions the hat 10 on the wearer's head with the bill 16 directed forwardly, as is typical. The wearer then reaches through the crown hole 30 and grasps the portion of the wearer's hair kept in a ponytail. The portion of the hair is then pulled through the crown hole 30, positioning the portion of the wearer's hair extending through the crown hole 30 with the hat 10 worn on the wearer's head.

Either before or after the portion of the wearer's hair is positioned in the crown hole 30, the loop 52 at the first end of the decorative cord 46 is removably attached to the post 38. The length of the cord 46 can then be extended around the portion of the wearer's hair positioned in the crown hole 30. The second loop 54 at the free end of the decorative cord 46 is then attached to the post 38. This positions the decorative cord 46 extending around the portion of the wearer's hair positioned in the crown hole 30. In addition, the elasticity of the cord 46 supports the portion of the wearer's hair positioned in the crown hole 30, causing the portion of hair to extend upwardly and outwardly from the crown hole 30.

As desired, any one of a plurality of decorative cords 46 having different decorations can be removably attached to the post 38 on the hat 10 to decorate the portion of the wearer's hair positioned in the crown hole 30, and support the portion of the wearer's hair extending upwardly and outwardly from the crown hole.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a further embodiment of the hat 60 of the invention. The hat 60 is a casual hat or bucket hat that incorporates the novel features of the invention. As in the previously described embodiment, it should be understood that the bucket hat shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is illustrative only of one type of hat with which the novel features of the invention may be employed. The bucket hat shown in the drawing figures should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

Many of the structural features of the hat 60 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are typical in the conventional construction of bucket hats, and therefore will not be described in detail.

The hat 60 includes a crown comprised of a generally cylindrical side wall 62 and a generally circular top wall 64 that are both formed from a flexible material typically employed in hat constructions. The side wall 62 is secured to the top wall 64 by stitching, or other equivalent means. Together the side wall 62 and top wall 64 give the hat crown a generally convex exterior surface 66 and an opposite, generally concave interior surface 68. The interior surface 68 surrounds an interior volume of the hat 60 that is dimensioned to receive a portion of the head of a wearer of the hat.

The crown side wall 62 has a bottom, peripheral edge 70 that separates the crown interior surface 68 from the crown exterior surface 66.

A brim 72 is secured to the crown bottom edge 70 by stitching or other equivalent means. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the brim 72 is formed of pleaded material and extends entirely around the crown bottom edge 70.

The construction of the bucket hat 60 described to this point is conventional. The construction of the hat 60 differs from that of prior art bucket hats in that a pair of holes 74 are provided through an upper portion of the crown. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holes 74 are spaced upwardly from the crown bottom peripheral edge 70, and are positioned closer to a center point 76 of the crown than the crown peripheral edge 70. In the embodiment of the hat 60 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pair of holes 74 are positioned primarily in the circular top wall 64 of the crown on diametrically opposite sides of a central portion of the top wall 64. In the preferred embodiment, the holes 74 are dimensioned sufficiently large to enable a wearer of the hat 60 to pass a portion of their hair, for example pigtails, through the holes 74. Thus, the holes 74 have a significantly larger diameter dimension than would a typical venting hole of a casual hat. As an example, the holes 74 could have a diameter dimension of 1 or 2 inches. This would provide sufficient area in each of the holes 74 for the hat wearer to reach through the hole from the exterior of the crown, grasp a portion of the wearer's hair, and pull the portion of the hair through the holes 74 positioning the hair in the crown holes 74.

The peripheral edges 78 of the holes 74 are defined by embroidered stitching of the crown material surrounding the holes 74. The stitching of the peripheral edge 78 enhances the aesthetic appearance of the hat and strengthens the material of the crown surrounding the holes 74.

First fastener parts 82 are secured to the crown adjacent the holes 74. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first fastener parts 82 are parts of two-part snap fasteners that are employed to removably attach decorations to the hat 60, as will be explained. Other types of equivalent fasteners, for example hook and loop fasteners could also be employed to removably attach the decorations to the hat. As seen in FIG. 4, the first fastener parts 82 are secured to the crown top wall 64 at positions adjacent the holes 74 and on opposite sides of the holes from the crown peripheral edge 70.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, decorations 84 for the hat 60 are provided in the form of bows tied from ribbons. Other types of decorations 84 may also be employed. The second part 86 of the two-part snap fasteners are secured to each of the decoration bows 84. Furthermore, a variety of different types of decorations 84 may be provided with each decoration having a second fastener part 86 to removably attach the decorations 84 on the hat 60 at the first fastener parts 82. The second fastener parts 86 are releasably connectable to the first fastener parts 82 to removably attach the decorations 84 to the crown of the hat 60. Due to the positioning of the first fastener parts 82 on the hat 60, when the second fastener parts 86 are releasably connected to the first fastener parts 82, the decorations 84 appear to be attached to the portions of the wearer's hair that passes through the holes 74. By providing the hat 60 with a variety of different types of decorations 84, each of which is removably attachable to the hat adjacent the holes 74, the decorations can be removably and interchangeably attached to the hat as desired by the hat wearer to give the hat and the portions of the wearer's hair positioned through the hat holes 74 a plurality of different appearances.

In each embodiment of the specialty hat 10, 60 of the invention, the hat has a simplified construction that enables manufacturing the hat in a minimum number of manufacturing steps. Basically, each embodiment of the hat 10, 60 is formed from one or more pieces of flexible material that are secured together, for example by sewing, and are positioned on a hat block to form the crown of the hat. The material is held in the crown configuration by a hat band positioned around the material on the hat block.

The novel and simplified method of constructing the hats 10, 60 involves performing both a cutting operation that forms the holes through the hat crowns, and a stitching operation that embroiders the peripheral edges of the holes in the same manufacturing apparatus. The same apparatus is capable of both cutting or surging the holes in the hat crowns, and loop stitching or boring the peripheral edges of the holes. These steps are performed on the finished crown by an embroidery machine that has been modified with a surging apparatus. Thus both the hole cutting and hole periphery stitching are performed by the same machine on the formed crown.

In an alternate embodiment of the specialty hat, the hat crown need not be finished. The surging and boring steps are still performed by the embroidery machine that has been modified with a surging apparatus, but the steps are performed on pieces of material that are later formed into the hat crown.

Once the crown holes have been manufactured into the hats, the removable decorations 46, 84 are then added to the crown exteriors, completing the manufacturing of the hats. As stated earlier, one or more different types of decorations can be provided with each hat as a kit, thereby adapting the hat for having many different appearances depending on which decorations are selectively, removably attached to the hat.

Although the specialty hat of the invention has been described above by reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that variations and modifications could be made to the specialty hat without departing from the scope of the following claims. 

1) A hat comprising: a crown having a generally concave interior surface surrounding an interior volume of the hat that is dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's head inside the hat interior volume, a generally convex exterior surface opposite the interior surface, and a peripheral edge extending around an opening to the hat interior volume and separating the crown interior surface from the crown exterior surface, the opening being dimensioned to receive the portion of the wearer's head through the opening; a hole through the crown, the hole being spaced from the crown peripheral edge and being positioned and dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole, the hole being positioned closer to a top of the hat crown than the crown peripheral edge. 2) The hat of claim 1, further comprising: a decoration attached to the crown adjacent the hole at a position on the crown where the decoration appears to be attached to the hair positioned through the hole. 3) The hat of claim 2, further comprising: the decoration being attached to the crown exterior surface on an opposite side of the hole from the crown peripheral edge. 4) The hat of claim 2, further comprising: the crown having a center point that is equally spaced from the crown peripheral edge from different points around the crown peripheral edge; and the hole being positioned closer to the crown center point than the crown peripheral edge. 5) The hat of claim 4, further comprising: the decoration being attached to the crown exterior surface on an opposite side of the hole from the crown peripheral edge. 6) The hat of claim 2, further comprising: the decoration being removably attached to the crown exterior surface. 7) The hat of claim 6, further comprising: the decoration being one of a plurality of decorations that are each removably and interchangeably attached to the crown exterior surface. 8) The hat of claim 2, further comprising: the decoration being a cord having a length with opposite first and second ends, the cord being attached to the crown adjacent the hole where the cord length can be positioned around the hair positioned through the hole. 9) The hat of claim 8, further comprising: at least one of the cord first and second ends being removably attached to the crown exterior surface. 10) The hat of claim 8, further comprising: the cord first and second ends being removably attached to the crown exterior surface. 11) The hat of claim 10, further comprising: the cord being one of a plurality of cords that are each removably and interchangeably attached to the crown exterior surface. 12) The hat of claim 8, further comprising: a post on the crown exterior surface; and the cord first end being attached to the post and the cord second end being removably attached to the post. 13) The hat of claim 12, further comprising: the cord being elastic. 14) The hat of claim 2, further comprising: the hole being one of a pair of holes on opposite sides of the crown, both holes being spaced from the crown peripheral edge and being positioned and dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole; and the decoration being one of a plurality of decorations that are attached to the crown exterior surface adjacent the pair of holes at positions on the crown exterior surface where the decorations appear to be attached to the hair positioned through the pair of holes. 15) The hat of claim 14, further comprising: each decoration of the plurality of decorations being removably attached to the crown exterior surface. 16) A hat comprising: a crown having an interior surface that is dimensioned to receive a portion of a wearer's head inside the hat, and an opposite exterior surface; a hole through the crown, the hole being positioned and dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole; and a decoration that is removably attachable to the crown at a position adjacent the hole where the decoration attached to the crown appears to be attached to the wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole. 17) The hat of claim 16, further comprising: the decoration being one of a plurality of decorations that are each removably attachable to the crown at the position adjacent the hole. 18) The hat of claim 17, further comprising: the hole being one of a pair of holes through the crown that are each dimensioned to receive a portion of the wearer's hair that is positioned through each hole; and a pair of decorations of the plurality of decorations being removably attachable adjacent the pair of holes. 19) The hat of claim 17, further comprising: a fastener assembly that removably attaches the plurality of decorations to the crown, the fastener assembly having a first part that is attached to the crown and a plurality of second parts that are each attached to a decoration of the plurality of decorations, the second parts being removably attachable to the first part to selectively and removably attach each of the plurality of decorations to the crown. 20) The hat of claim 16, further comprising: the decoration being a cord having a length between first and second ends of the cord, the cord being removably attachable to the crown adjacent the hole through the crown and the cord length being dimensioned to extend the cord around the portion of the wearer's hair that is positioned through the hole. 21) The hat of claim 20, further comprising: at least one of the cord first and second ends being removably attachable to the crown. 22) The hat of claim 20, further comprising: the cord first and second ends being removably attachable to the crown. 23) The hat of claim 20, further comprising: the cord being one of a plurality of cords that are each removably attachable to the crown. 24) The hat of claim 20, further comprising: a post on the crown exterior surface; and the cord being removably attachable to the post. 25) The hat of claim 24, further comprising: the cord first and second ends each being removably attachable to the post. 26) A method of making a hat, the method comprising: forming a piece of material into a crown of the hat with the crown having an interior surface, an opposite exterior surface, and a peripheral edge extending around an opening to an interior of the hat and separating the crown interior surface from the crown exterior surface, dimensioning the opening to receive a portion of a wearer's head through the opening; and cutting a hole through the formed crown at a position that is spaced from the crown peripheral edge and dimensioning the hole to receive a portion of the wearer's hair positioned through the hole. 27) The method of claim 26, further comprising: removably attaching a decoration on the crown adjacent the hole at a position where the decoration appears to be attached to the hair positioned through the hole. 28) The method of claim 26, further comprising: cutting the hole through the crown at a position on the crown that is closer to a center of the crown than the peripheral edge of the crown. 29) The method of claim 28, further comprising: cutting the hole and stitching around the hole using a single apparatus that performs both the cutting and stitching steps. 30) The method of claim 26, further comprising: cutting at least a pair of holes through the crown and dimensioning each hole to receive a portion of the wearer's hair positioned through the hole; and removably attaching a decoration on the crown adjacent each hole where the decoration appears to be attached to the hair positioned through the hole. 31) The method of claim 27, further comprising: removably attaching the decoration on the crown with a two part fastener assembly with a first fastener part being attached to the crown and a second fastener part being attached to the decoration and the first and second fastener parts being releasably connectable to each other. 32) The method of claim 31, further comprising: providing a post on the crown as the first fastener part and providing a loop on the decoration as the second fastener part; and connecting the loop over the post. 33) The method of claim 31, further comprising: providing a plurality of decorations and a plurality of second fastener parts, attaching the second fastener parts to each of the decorations with each of the second fastener parts attached to a decoration being releasably connectable to the first fastener part. 34) The method of claim 27, further comprising: providing a cord as the decoration with the cord having a length dimensioned to extend the cord around the hair positioned through the hole. 35) The method of claim 27, further comprising: providing a plurality of decorations that are each removably attachable to the crown. 36) A method of making a hat, the method comprising: providing at least one piece of material to be formed into a crown of the hat; surging at least one hold in the piece of material, the hole being dimensioned to receive a portion of hair of a wearer of the hat through the hole; boring around the hole in the piece of material; and, performing the surging and boring steps on a single apparatus. 37) The method of claim 36, further comprising: performing the surging and boring steps on an embroidery machine that has been modified with a surging apparatus. 38) The method of claim 37, further comprising: performing the surging and boring steps after at least one piece of material has been formed into a crown. 39) The method of claim 37, further comprising: positioning the hole in the piece of the material where the hole will be positioned closer to a top of the hat crown than a bottom edge of the hat crown. 40) The method of claim 37, further comprising: removably attaching a decoration on the piece of material adjacent the hole. 